Header



June 25, 1940.

L. WILCOX HEADER Filed Sept. 2, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 lNVENTOR Richard Lesler Wilcx June 25, 1940. I w co 2,205,507

HEADER Filed Sept. 2, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Richard Lesier Wilaor BY I f 1 ATTOR EY June 25, 1940. w 2,205,507

HEADER Filed Sept. 2. 1938 rsheets-sheet s INVENTOR lea/men [5675? ll mcax.

June 25, 1940.

R. L. WILCOX HEADER Flled Sept. 2, 1938 i 4 4 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR 7 flay/A 20 45s nae /1.cox.

ATTORNEY Patented June 25, 1940 PATENT OFFICE.

HEADER Richard Lester Wilcox, Waterbury, Conn, assignor to The Waterbury Farrel Foundry and Machine Company, Waterbury, Conn, a Connecticut corporation Application September 2, 1938, Serial No. 228,248

1'! Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in headers, upsetting machines or the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a header of the maximum strength and minimum size and wherein the ram and associated parts will be so mounted as to minimize the possibility of deviation of a punch from its true and defined coume, particularly when the punch is m upsetting the workpiece in the die or the like,

thus insuring a perfect product.

Another object is to produce a more sturdy, compact header than those now in use and adapted for the same character of work.

With these and other objects in view, as will more fully hereinafter appear, the invention consists in a header, having certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions, size and details of the structure herein disclosed may be made without departing from the spirit 25 or sacrificing any features of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, in which like numerals of reference indicate like parts in the several figures;

Figure 1 is a plan view of a header embodying this invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view thereof, the parts in section being taken generally upon line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is another sectional view thereof, 35 the parts in section beingtaken generally upon line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view, similar to Figure 2, of another form of the invention;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view, sim- 40 ilar to Figure 3, of the form of the invention shown in Figure 4; t

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the frame;

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure, 2, illustrating a structure having an additional support 45 member; and

Figure 8 is a partial sectional view of a header, the parts in section being taken generally upon line 8-8 of Figure '7.

Heretofore in practice the length of the gate, sometimes known as a heading slide or ram in a machine of this type, from front to rear, is greater than its width, hence of substantial length.

In the conventional header the punch block and the punches therein project beyond the front 'signed and a lopsided article results.

of the heading slide and are supported thereby. The header slide is supported substantially throughout its entire length in the frame of the machine and has a reciprocatory motion relative thereto. Thus the front or working face of the punch is some distance beyond the forward end of the heading slide.

In a header or upsetting machine there is a constant tendency for the punch, when under labor, to be deflected from its true course and out of alignment with the die. In such case the punch does not strike its blow where de- This defiecting tendency places a strain upon the heading slide at its forward end, which in time develops a perceptible wear and looseness in its bearings, which permits the punch to deflect. When such condition arises an imperfect operation and product ensues. This is largely due to the fact that the support for the punch on the forward end of the heading slide is a substantial distance in rear of the working face thereof. To overcome this tendency of the punch to deflect, it has been the practice to lengthen the heading slide, this in turn necessitating a longer frame, but without remedying the difflculty resulting from the punch being unsupported, except at a point considerably in rear of its working face. Such difiiculty, however, is overcome in this invention by a novel construction, among other things, of the frame, ram and its mounting, and whereby the punch is supported in advance of the forward end of the ram, not only in line with the working face of the punch, but in rear thereof thus entirely eliminating deflecting strains and the objection resulting from the overhang of the punch.

Ram is proposed to be used in this description as the name of the part with which the punches are indirectly connected, to distinguish it from a slide or gate, which develops wear and looseness as above indicated.

This invention is adapted to be applied to any of the various types of headers, such as a single blow header illustrated in Figures 7 and 8, a

plural blow header, such as illustrated in Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, and to a progressive header having a single stroke and numerous punches.

The ram is suspended upon members that extend substantially the entire length of the frame, and a substantial distance in rear of the working face of the dies and in rear of the ram itself, being so positioned and of such relative length as to eliminate any deflecting tendency of either the ram or punch. A ram so suspended is quite short and its length has no relation to its width. This permits a shortening of the frame. In this invention the deflecting stress is upon the suspending members and not upon the ram. Due to the length of the suspending members as comthe frame and draw the sides of the intermediate portion together, such intermediate portion being usually the side walls of an opening through the frame adjacent to the dies. To resist this lengthening or stretching tendency, the header frame is made of great bulk. With this invention the walls of the frame cannot be drawn together, principally because the suspending members, which are substantially the length thereof, provide sufficient resistance to prevent elongation or stretching of the frame, and the resulting reduction of cross sectional area of the frame. This again makes possible the use of a narrower and smaller frame, one that is more sturdy and rigid, even though of much less size and bulk.

With this new and improved frame ll of the conventional rectangular form, as is the practice, there is a central opening 34 therethrough with a die holder recess or face H offset therefrom, within which is a holder I 2 for the die l3, held by the screw l4, and extending rearwardly thereof is a pocket 3i, preferably, but not necessarily, having rounded side walls 32. These rounded side walls add to the strength of the frame at thispoint without interfering with accessibility of the recess ll. Near the opposite end of the frame are the journal portions 33, within which the crank shaft 22 is journaled. Upon opposite sides of the opening 34 are the side walls 31, each having an inwardly projecting rib portion 35 and also the recesses or depressions 42, limited on one side by the side walls 31 and at their ends by -the inwardly projecting walls 30. These side walls 31, while relatively thin, owing to the unique structure thereof, add to the rigidity and strength of the frame.

In the form shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6, the rib portions 35 terminate at their lower ends in the inwardly projecting shelves 38, to which liners 39 are secured.

If desired, within this invention, the rib portions may be on the outside of the frame, or omitted entirely, by changing the cross sectional shape of the side walls of the frame.

The ram IS in the plural blow type of header shown in Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, carries upon its front face a punch slide it and a punch holder H, in which are secured the punches i8 and I9, backed by a wedge member 20.

Transverse movement of the punch slide l6 upon the ram I5, so as to alternately bring the axis of each of the punches i8 and I9 into register with that of the die i3, is accomplished through rock mechanism 2! of a well known type. Adjacent to the die is the usual cut-off mechanism 28. The punch slide, punches, wedge mechanism, means for imparting relative movement to the punch slide upon the ram, and the cut-off mechanism, constitute no part of this present invention. A reciprocatory motion is imparted to the ram from the crank shaft 22 through the pitman 23 in a well known manner.

'Upon each side of the die and punches is a suspension member 24, which is preferably hollow to minimize weight, although it may be solid within the spirit of this invention. These members are of sumcient strength and rigidity to carry the weight of the mass of metal in the ram and associated parts, definitely resist the deflecting tendency resulting from the upsetting operation, and supplement resistance to prevent elongation or stretching of the frame. The members 24 are slidably mounted in bushings 25, within the openings 28 in the frame substantially parallel with each other and extend at one end in rear of the working face of the die l3 and at the other end beyond the shaft 22. The openings 26 are preferably closed at their outer ends by the cap members 21.

The suspension members are shown herein as round in cross section, but they may be polygonal or other shape, if desired. Likewise these members may have their bearings in the top of the frame and be held against displacement by suitable caps.

The body of the ram is relatively both narrow and short (Figure 3), having near its upper end laterally projecting support arms 4| with openings therethrough to receive the members 24, rigidly secured thereto by bolts 23 or the like.

The support arms 4| move in the recesses 42 between the walls 30 above the rib face 38 being free upon all sides, as distinguished from the conventional heading slide, which is fitted at the sides to machined portions of the frame. By this construction a rigid, substantial support is given to the ram throughout the entire movement thereof. The ram is rigid and unyielding when the punch and die are under labor, that is, when the punch is in engagement with a workpiece in the die and the tendency to deflection is greatest.

In Figures 1, 2 and 3 a structure is shown wherein the ram is suspended entirely on the members 24, while in Figures 4, 5 and 6 it is additionally supported by liners 40 secured thereto, which slide upon liners 39. In both forms there is the minimum amount of machining on the frame. In fact, outside of the boring of the holes for the bushings 25 there is practically none. The sides of the ram do not engage walls of the frame, as is usual, and in the structure shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6, the ram has a relatively limited support by the liners 3! and 40. This form of ram and method of mounting the same are new, it heretofore having been the prac-- tice to provide the heading slide with supports on the side and bottom walls thereof, which necessitates considerable machining of the frame and subsequent fitting of the heading slide in the machined portions.

In the type of frame as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 7 and 8, no machining for the ram is required, and in the type shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6, the only machining required is for the liners 39.

While the working face of the punch is in advance of the forward end of the ram in the structure shown herein, the suspending members therefor extend beyond such face a substantial distance. This is particularly illustrated in Figure 1, wherein the forward end of the ram, when the punch is under labor, is shown by broken lines. When in such forward position the open space between the adjacent wall 30 and the ram I5 is relatively short and owing to the very strong structure of the members 24 and the bearings therefor it is impossible to deflect the punch from its true course without shearing these suspending members 24. The open space between the front of the ram and the adjacent wall 30 may be very materially reduced if desired by extending the face of the wall 30 toward the face of the ram, thus reducing to the minimum the clearance distance between the bushings and ram. H I

In Figures 7 and 8 there is illustrated a form of the invention applied to a single blow header, and having more than two suspension members.

This form has been chosen merely for illustra tion, as headers with more than two suspension members may be conveniently adapted for other types of headers and for those having more than a single blow. The mechanism and its operation in this form of header is substantially the same as headers above described. The punch holder 45, however, with the punch 46 therein, is fixed to the ram l5, and has no relative movement in relation thereto. And again, these suspension members may be differently positioned relatively.

The ram 1 5 differs from the one first described, in that it has a suspension arm. 44 projecting therefrom below the punch holder. In this arm is secured a suspension member 24 that is movably mounted in bushings 25, one in the frame below the die holder and the other in the tie bar 43 integral with the frame.

header is particularly useful with a large size header and relieves somewhat the distribution of the weight of the ram and associated parts from the two upper suspension members 24 as well as the deflecting stress.

It is understood that the present disclosure is given by way of example of means for practicing the present invention, and as illustrating the principle and application thereof, and that the invention is not to be limited by the present disclosure. The invention covers all forms of modifications coming within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. -A header frame having a central opening therethrough, said frame further having a recess in each of two opposite side walls thereof, one upon each side of the center of the frame, each side wall being thickened below the recess. other openings through the frame that are substantially parallel with each other and extend outwardly from opposite walls of said recesses toward theexterior of the frame.

2; A header frame having a central opening therethrough, said frame further having a recess in each of two opposite side walls thereof that extend laterally from said opening, one upon each side of the center of the frame, other openings through the frame that are substantially parallel with each other and extend outwardly from opposite walls of said recesses toward the exterior of the frame.

3. A header frame having a central opening therethrough, said frame further having a recess in each of two opposite side walls thereof, one upon each side of the center of the frame, said frame further having other openings through the frame that are substantially parallel with each other and extend outwardly from opposite walls of said recesses toward the exterior of the frame; and means, as a rigid member in said openings, one upon each side of the center of the frame, that prevent the sides of the frame from being drawn together by the lengthening or stretching of the frame.

4. A header frame having journal portions and having a central opening therethrough defined in part by side walls, said frame further having This additional suspension member while adapted for any size.

a recess in said side walls substantially parallel therewith and terminating at said journal portions; a rib upon each side wall, the frame also a central opening therethrough, and further having a recess in each of two opposite side walls thereof, one upon each side of the center of the frame, the frame having other openings that are substantially parallel with two sides thereof and extend from opposite wallsof said recesses toward the exterior of the frame, in combination therewith, a member in the latter openings upon each side of the center of the frame that extends across the open space between the ends of the recess; and a liner or the like, secured at a point below the ram.

6. A header or like machine including a frame having a central opening therethrough and a i'ecess in each of two side walls thereof, one upon each side of the center of the frame, and other openings through the frame that are substantially parallel with each other and extend outwardly from opposite walls of said recesses toward the exterior of the frame, in combination with slidable supporting members in saidlatter openings, a ram that in part projects into said recesses and secured to said supporting member between the end walls of the recesses, a punch carried by the ram, and means to reciprocate the ram.

'7. A header or like machine including a frame having a central opening therethrough and a recess in each of two side walls thereof, one upon each side of the center of the frame, and other openings through the frame that are substantially parallel with each other and extend outwardly from opposite walls of said recesses toward the exterior of the frame, in combination with slidable supporting members in said latter openings, a ram secured to said supporting members between the end walls of the recesses, with a free space between the ram and the adjacent walls of the recess, a punch carried by the ram, and means to reciprocate the ram.

8. A header frame having journal portions and.

having a central opening therethrough, the frame further having a recess inopposite side walls thereof substantially parallel therewith that terminate .at one end at said journal portions and with one side open to said central opening, the frame having other openings substantially parallel with the side walls that aline with .each other and extend outwardly from the end walls of said recesses, the frame further having a die holder recess in that wall of the central opening distant from said journal portions, the bottom of which is spaced from the adjacent end wall of each of said recesses.

9. A header frame for use with a ram having a central opening therethrough and a recess in each of two opposite side walls thereof, one upon each side of the center of the frame, the frame having other openings that are substantially. parallel with two sides thereof and extend from opposite walls of said recesses toward the exterior of the frame, in combination therewith, a horizontal member in the latter openings upon each side of the center of the frame that extends across the open space between the ends of the recess, and a member below the ram, positioned for the ram to slide thereon.

10. A header or like machine, including a frame, a ram having a punch, a plurality of spaced horizontal members, means whereby to slidably support each of the ends of the members from the frame, means to support the ram from said members with the punch disposed intermediate the ends of the members, two of said members being located in substantially the same plane and on opposite sides of the punch, and a third member located in a plane different than that of said two members.

11. A header frame composed of a horizontal member having connected side and end walls, with its top central portion open whereby to provide access to the interior of the member, the end walls being thicker than the side walls and each end wall having spaced openings therein which aline longitudinally of the frame and wherein one of the end walls is provided with a pocket having rounded side walls and a die holding face and wherein the pocket extends upwardly from the face and provides access thereto.

12. A header or like machine including a substantially horizontal frame having spaced sides and ends and a central opening, a die supported adjacent to one wall of said central opening at one end of the frame and between the sides thereof, a ram having a punch, means as a member longer than the ram slidably mountedin the frame to support the ram within the said central opening with free space between the adjacent side portions of the ram and the sides of the said opening and free space below the ram, and means to operate the ram.

13; A header or like machine, including a frame having ends and sides connecting the ends, the ends each having a pair of spaced openings which aline with each other, horizontal members slidably mounted at their ends in the openings, a ram, a punch carried on the ram, a die, means to connect the die to the frame, and means to rigidly connect the ram with the horizontal members and whereby the ram is supported between the members with both the die and punch located intermediate the ends of the members, and means to effect reciprocation of the ram.

14. A header or like machine, including a frame having ends and sides connecting the ends, the ends each having a pair of spaced openings which 'aline with each other, horizontal members slidably mounted at their ends in the openings, a ram, a die, means to connect the die to the frame, and means to rigidly connect the ram to the horizontal members and whereby the ram is supported between the members with both the die and punch located intermediate the ends of the members, and means to effect reciprocation of the ram.

15. A header, upsetting machine or the like, including a substantially horizontal frame having a central opening with spaced walls on two opposite sides thereof and spaced openings upon opposite sides of said central opening that aline with each other and extend outwardly from said spaced walls toward the outside of the frame; a horizontal support member within each pair of alined openings that extends across the open space between said spaced walls; a ram, having a punch thereon, fixed upon the support members, whereby the support members carry the weight of the ram in a plane substantially perpendlcular to the length of the support members; and means to effect reciprocation of both the ram and support members as a unit between said spaced walls.

16. A header, upsetting machine or the like, including a substantially horizontal frame having a central opening with spaced walls on two opposite sides thereof and substantially parallel spacedopenings upon opposite sides of said central opening which alinewith each other and extend outwardly from said spaced walls toward the outside of the frame; a substantially horizontal support member within each pair of alined openings that extend across the open space between said spaced walls; a ram within said central opening, having a punch thereon, fixed upon the support members, whereby the support members carry the weight of the ram and punch in a plane substantially perpendicular to the length of the support members; and means to effect reciprocation of both the ram and support members as a unit. 7

17. A header, upsetting machine or the like, including a substantially horizontal frame having a central opening with spaced walls on two opposite sides thereof and substantially parallel spaced openings upon opposite sides of said central opening which aline with each other and extend outwardly from said spaced walls toward the outside of the frame; a substantially horizontal support member within each pair of alined openings that extends across the open space between said spaced walls; a ram. within said central opening, having-a punch thereon. fixed upon the support members; means to support the ram at a point below the punch with an open space around the side wall thereof; a die fixed to the {lime intermediate the ends of the support memliar; and means to effect reciprocation of the ram.

- RICHARD LESTER WILCOX. 

